Stretches for Relieving Calf Tightness

If January has gotten you fired up about fitness and you have been walking more, you may experience some calf tightness. With each step, your calf muscle contracts as the ball of your foot pushes off. Lengthen the muscle in the back of your lower legs, relieve calf tightness, and retain ankle flexilbilty with the following stretches.

Calf Stretch #1

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Take a generous step back. Push the heel of your back leg into the ground as you straighten your leg and lengthen your torso. Tighten abdominal muslces to support your lower back. Place hands on a wall. tree or mid-thigh for support. Avoid putting any pressure on your knee joint.
• Inhale. As you exhale, try to stretch more by sliding the heel of your back leg further away.
• Inhale deeply and exhale completely as you hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds

Calf Stretch #2

• Slide your back foot forward until your hip and torso are upright. Keep your back foot flat on the ground as you bend your knees and lower your hips downward.
• Repeat with your other leg.

Stretches from The Walking Deck by Shirley Archer.